Stainless steel was first recognized as a commercial proposition in 1913, by Harry Brearley, a metallurgist in Sheffield, England, after he noticed that certain gun barrels containing around 13% chromium didn’t rust when they were left outside. What he’d discovered was a steel that approximates to what we know today as type 420 stainless, a grade used to make table knives. Commercial production of this material didn’t start until after the first world war, by which time Doctors Strauss and Maurer at Krupp in Germany were busy discovering what we know as the 18-8 stainless steels. Britain started production of these steels in 1923, under license from the Krupp patent.

This represented the beginnings of stainless steel production and the first steps in a long fight against the many corrosive media which were lurking around to eat up anything that was a piece of steel.

The corrosion resistance of stainless steels is due to the presence of an extremely thin protective oxide film, the so-called “passive film” which forms spontaneously on the steel surface when it’s exposed to air or some other gas or liquid which can supply oxygen to the steel surface. In fact, stainless steel is like humans, in that it needs oxygen to survive. This film is transparent and tightly adherent to the steel, and is so thin, probably less than 0.000001” thick, that it is absolutely invisible while in contact with the surface it’s formed on. The film is insoluble in water and in many other liquids, and impermeable to these and to many gasses.  While it remains intact and tightly adherent to the steel surface, there will be protection from corrosive attack. It seems strange that a huge, heavy weight stainless steel forging owes its corrosion durability to a microscopically thin film, but that’s the way it is. And even if the film is broken locally, serious corrosion will not result providing oxygen is present because the film spontaneously repairs.  If the ruptured film is prevented from repairing itself, corrosion of the steel will continue and will result in either pitting or general attack over the steel’s surface. The protective value of the oxide film on stainless steel will increase with its chromium content. If the steel contains significant amounts of other metals such as nickel or molybdenum, the oxides of these metals will also be present in the film and will improve its resistance to certain types of corrosive attack.

Look for additional blogs on this subject within steelforge.com.  All Metals & Forge Group is a manufacturer of stainless steel forgings and seamless rolled rings for industrial uses, including the PH grades.  This allows AMFG to manufacture the widest range of forged shapes for use in the Industries Served listed on steelforge.com.

by Royce Lowe

In the world of steel manufacturing, precision and quality are paramount. From mining equipment to food processing machines, forged steel parts serve as the backbone of modern infrastructure and industry. However, ensuring that this vital material meets rigorous standards requires more than just raw materials and machinery—it demands a commitment to certification and quality assurance processes.

Certification standards, such as those set forth by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), play a pivotal role in guaranteeing the integrity and reliability of steel products. These standards establish criteria for composition, mechanical properties, and performance, providing a blueprint for manufacturers to follow in their production processes.

At the heart of these standards lies the assurance of quality. By adhering to established certification protocols, steel manufacturers can mitigate the risk of defects, inconsistencies, and structural weaknesses in their products. This not only safeguards the reputation of the manufacturer but also ensures the safety and reliability of end-users who rely on steel for critical applications.

ASTM, a globally recognized authority in materials testing and standards development, offers a comprehensive framework for evaluating and certifying steel products. Its rigorous testing procedures assess various properties, including tensile strength, hardness, and ductility, to ascertain compliance with industry benchmarks. Likewise, ISO provides a standardized approach to quality management, facilitating consistency and accountability across the manufacturing process. All Metals & Forge Group has been ISO-registered since 1994.

Beyond regulatory compliance, the pursuit of certification reflects a commitment to excellence and continuous improvement. By subjecting their operations to external scrutiny and validation, steel manufacturers demonstrate a dedication to delivering superior products that meet or exceed customer expectations. This not only fosters trust and confidence in the marketplace but also drives innovation and advancement within the industry.

Furthermore, adherence to certification standards enhances market competitiveness and opens doors to global opportunities. In an increasingly interconnected world, where supply chains span continents and customer demands transcend borders, maintaining internationally recognized quality certifications is essential for accessing new markets and forging strategic partnerships.

However, the importance of certification and quality assurance extends beyond mere compliance with standards—it is a fundamental aspect of corporate responsibility. By prioritizing the safety and reliability of their products, steel manufacturers uphold their duty to society and the environment. They contribute to sustainable development by minimizing waste, reducing emissions, and conserving resources, thereby leaving a positive legacy for future generations.

At All Metals & Forge Group, we understand the role of steel certification and quality assurance in manufacturing cannot be overstated. From ensuring product integrity to fostering innovation and sustainability, certification standards serve as the cornerstone of excellence in the steel industry. By embracing these standards and investing in quality management systems, All Metals & Forge Group not only safeguards our success but also contributes to the resilience and prosperity of our customers around the world.

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Not that long after the end of WWII, an American named W. Edwards Deming tried to talk his fellow countrymen into putting quality into their products. This was at a time when the term quality control meant a bunch of inspectors sifting through finished products, large and small, and throwing out the ones that didn’t meet basic requirements. Deming was met with a “Thanks but no thanks” reply, which he neither liked nor understood.

Mr. Deming was the man who developed systems for Total Quality Management and was ultimately responsible for much-improved methods of quality control that could be applied to any company of any size. Having been turned away by his fellow countrymen, he took his idea off to Japan. He worked with Japanese companies for some years, knowing that his systems might not bear fruit in the short term, and it did, in fact, take a decade or more before he decided he’d succeeded in his mission. The man’s name is still revered in Japan’s manufacturing establishment.

Quality is not just about inspecting a finished product; it’s rather about educating the workforce and getting them to take pride in ownership, one unit with another, to produce goods that meet the customer’s requirements. Of course, it’s really all about the customer, and the motivation to supply a quality product or service must be customer-driven. Hence, we must make sure we know exactly what the customer requires. If we’re supplying steel or other alloys to an end-user, for example, we should ask all the right questions. We need to know what sizes and size tolerances, surface finish, hardness, and other mechanical properties, and what industry or company specification standards are required. In fact, we need to know just about everything that will help our customers on their way to their best possible finished product.

Time was when quality was the responsibility of a Quality Control Department, whose mandate was to ensure that sub-standard stuff didn’t reach the customer’s floor. Material rejected against an order could either be scrapped or reapplied against other, less demanding orders. But there were always attendant dollar losses and the necessity for large areas of a plant to be used for rework.

A true quality program requires the participation of every person who “touches” the product, from the salesperson who takes the order, to the forging team, heat treatment team, machining team, and testing team to the loading dock worker who loads the material on a truck. All forging processes within a company, including times, temperatures, reductions, etc., should be standardized according to each customer’s requirements and end use.

Quality pays. It pays the supplier with lower rejects, thus increasing yield and productivity. It pays the customer because they receive material they can use with confidence.  With open die forging and seamless rolled rings, rejects or part failures can lead to expensive machine failures, downhole breakdowns, or even life-threatening disaster.

All Metals & Forge Group takes great pride in maintaining one of the most stringent ISO9001, AS9100 quality systems in the open die forging and seamless rolled ring industry.  It begins with learning the customer’s end use, required forging surface condition, mechanical properties of the specified material and alloy, forged shape, heat treatment, delivery need, and competitive price, coupled with forging soundness proven by ultrasonic testing, and care in packing goods to arrive in pristine condition at the customer’s desired location.  Every step is monitored by the quality system at AMFG and continuously improved.

AMFG performs rough machining to within 3mm of finish dimensions to reduce the CNC cost at the customer’s machine shop for all the forged shapes the company produces.  The rough machine surface condition is 250 RMS so that proper quality testing can be performed on each part – the AMFG standard.  

The company can perform finish machining to within .001 of an inch for final tolerance and 64 or 32 RMS surface finish.  This level of quality and precision is unique in an industry where other company’s parts are often delivered black, as forged, or with a rough machined surface of 500 RMS without the internal or external steps and dimensions to reduce machining costs.

From inquiry to invoice, All Metals & Forge Group quality is managed and not assumed. Whether the need is for one part, an entire project, or a production run, AMFG delivers.